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Astrodynamics Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Judge Group, Inc.

Astrodynamics Engineer

Westminster, CO · On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

Astrodynamics Engineer Location: Westminster, CO 80031 Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent Job Summary We are seeking an experienced Astrodynamics Engineer to serve as a technical authority for ...

L3Harris Technologies

$80K - $149K/yr

Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado Job Schedule: 5/8 Monday-Friday L3Harris Technologies has an opening for Astrodynamics Engineer for an important national Security Program. The successful ...

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SAIC

Astrodynamics Analyst

Chantilly, VA · Hybrid

$120K - $200K/yr

Engineering and Sciences Subcategory: Systems Engineer Schedule: Full-Time Shift: Day Job Travel ... ORA_ON_SITE Description SAIC is seeking an Astrodynamics Analyst to join our team conducting high ...

SAIC

Astrodynamics Analyst

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$120K - $200K/yr

Develop and evaluate novel complex orbital maneuvering strategies using high-level programming ... Additionally, our astrodynamics analysts routinely support other prime contracts as necessary. As a ...

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Astrodynamics Engineer information

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$39K

$101.8K

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How much do astrodynamics engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 21, 2026, the average yearly pay for astrodynamics engineer in the United States is $101,752.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,000.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an astrodynamics engineer do?

An Astrodynamics Engineer designs, analyzes, and optimizes the trajectories of spacecraft, satellites, and other space vehicles. They use mathematical models, physics, and computational simulations to plan orbital maneuvers, ensure mission feasibility, and minimize fuel consumption. Their work is crucial for space missions, including satellite deployment, interplanetary exploration, and station-keeping operations.

What are some typical projects or responsibilities for an astrodynamics engineer?

Astrodynamics Engineers are often tasked with calculating and optimizing spacecraft trajectories, predicting orbital maneuvers, and supporting mission planning for satellites and space probes. You may also analyze mission data, model the effects of various gravitational forces, and develop software tools for simulation and analysis. Collaborative work with mission designers, spacecraft engineers, and operations teams is common to ensure mission objectives are met. The role can include both hands-on technical tasks and participation in interdisciplinary project meetings, offering opportunities to see your work directly impact real-world space missions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the astrodynamics engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Astrodynamics Engineer, you need strong analytical skills, a solid foundation in physics and mathematics, and typically a degree in aerospace engineering or a related field. Experience with orbital mechanics simulation software, MATLAB, STK (Systems Tool Kit), or similar specialized tools is highly valued, and some positions may require security clearance or relevant certifications. Effective problem-solving, teamwork, and strong communication abilities are important soft skills for collaborating on complex projects. These competencies ensure precision in trajectory design, mission planning, and contribute to the overall success of aerospace missions.

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Astrodynamics Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Astrodynamics Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,752 per year, or $48.9 per hour.

Astrodynamics Engineer

Judge Group, Inc.

Westminster, CO • On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

Other

Posted 22 days ago

Job description

Location: Westminster, CO Salary: $120,000.00 USD Annually - $180,000.00 USD Annually Description:
Astrodynamics Engineer
Location: Westminster, CO 80031
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced Astrodynamics Engineer to serve as a technical authority for orbital mechanics across space domain awareness programs. This position will develop and validate physical models, synthetic datasets, orbit-estimation methods, and state-estimation capabilities supporting missions across low Earth orbit, geosynchronous Earth orbit, cislunar space, and other complex orbital regimes.
The Astrodynamics Engineer will generate synthetic datasets used to develop, train, validate, and evaluate machine-learning models. This individual will also review datasets and model results to identify modeling limitations, unrealistic assumptions, and potential failure modes before solutions are delivered for operational use.
This role will serve as a primary technical interface with university and research-institution partners supporting cislunar dynamical modeling, orbit determination, and multi-body dynamics research. Responsibilities include establishing technical interfaces, defining modeling conventions, developing validation cases, documenting requirements, and clarifying ownership across collaborative research efforts.
Key Responsibilities
  • Build and validate astrodynamics modeling environments covering multiple mission regimes, including:
    • Two-body orbital dynamics
    • Perturbed low Earth orbit and geosynchronous Earth orbit propagation
    • Cislunar and multi-body dynamics
    • Circular restricted three-body problem models
    • Higher-fidelity orbital dynamics models
  • Generate representative synthetic observation datasets across orbital regimes and orbit families.
  • Model realistic sensing conditions, including:
    • Observation geometry
    • Sensor visibility
    • Lighting constraints
    • Measurement noise
    • Track gaps
    • Sparse or degraded observations
  • Develop synthetic datasets for algorithm development and machine-learning model training, testing, and evaluation.
  • Incorporate publicly available ephemerides and reference datasets as independent validation cases.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate orbit-determination and state-estimation methods appropriate to each mission scenario.
  • Apply batch least-squares, sequential estimation, Kalman filtering, and related estimation techniques.
  • Evaluate covariance, uncertainty, observability, and estimator convergence.
  • Determine the conditions under which orbital custody can be established or maintained and identify scenarios in which custody may not be achievable.
  • Analyze sparse-observation and too-short-arc scenarios using initial orbit determination, admissible regions, and hypothesis-generation techniques.
  • Define anomalous orbital or dynamical behavior using measurable physical characteristics and documented criteria.
  • Partner with data science and software engineering teams to ensure training and evaluation datasets are physically accurate and dynamically representative.
  • Review machine-learning model results against orbital mechanics and physical expectations.
  • Provide physics-based inputs to concepts of operations and systems-engineering activities.
  • Evaluate revisit intervals, latency requirements, timing constraints, sensing limitations, and estimation performance.
  • Document modeling assumptions, validation methods, limitations, uncertainty, and technical conclusions.
  • Serve as a primary technical point of contact for university and research-institution partners.
  • Establish technical interfaces, modeling conventions, validation cases, deliverables, and ownership responsibilities for external research collaborations.
Required Qualifications
  • Master's degree or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Astrodynamics, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field.
  • At least 3 years of relevant professional, research, or academic experience. A PhD may substitute for a portion of the experience requirement.
  • Demonstrated experience with orbit determination and state-estimation methods, including:
    • Batch least-squares estimation
    • Sequential estimation
    • Kalman-family estimators
    • Covariance analysis
    • Observability analysis
  • Working knowledge of astrodynamics across multiple orbital regimes, including:
    • Perturbed near-Earth dynamics
    • Low Earth orbit
    • Geosynchronous Earth orbit
    • Multi-body orbital dynamics
    • Circular restricted three-body problem dynamics
    • Libration-point dynamics
    • Invariant manifolds
    • Periodic orbit families
    • Resonance structures
  • Experience addressing sparse-observation and too-short-arc orbit-determination problems.
  • Experience with admissible regions, initial orbit determination, and hypothesis generation and pruning.
  • Strong Python programming skills or the demonstrated ability to quickly develop advanced Python capabilities.
  • Familiarity with C++, C, MATLAB, or Julia for propagator, simulator, estimator, or scientific software development.
  • Knowledge of optical observation modeling, including measurement types, sensor error sources, visibility constraints, and lighting conditions.
  • Ability to document assumptions, uncertainty, validation results, and technical conclusions clearly.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with software engineers, data scientists, systems engineers, and external research partners.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Direct experience with cislunar or extended geosynchronous orbit space domain awareness applications.
  • Experience with conventional low Earth orbit or geosynchronous Earth orbit custody, tracking, and catalog-maintenance programs.
  • Familiarity with normal-form methods, Lie series, or other model-reduction techniques applied to multi-body dynamics.
  • Previous experience collaborating with universities or research institutions on government-funded programs.
  • Experience generating synthetic datasets for machine-learning applications.
  • Understanding of potential data leakage, artificial patterns, and unintended structure within synthetic training datasets.
  • Experience evaluating machine-learning outputs against physics-based models or expected orbital behavior.
  • Publications or conference presentations in astrodynamics, orbital mechanics, or space domain awareness.
  • Experience presenting technical work at professional venues such as AAS, AIAA, or AMOS.
Work Environment
  • Full-time, permanent position based in Westminster, Colorado.
  • Work involves collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering, software, data science, systems engineering, and research teams.
  • The position may support government, aerospace, defense, or national-security-related programs.
  • Employment is subject to applicable eligibility and security-clearance requirements.

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